Brake



G. WALKER Sept. 69 1927,

BRAKE Filed April 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 35am, 192v,1,641,912

G. WALKER BRAKE Filed April 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (fag? Zia 1/9 22!"wldww ATTORNEYS Sept. 6,1927, G WALKER 1,641,912

BRAKE Filed April 12. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR PatentedSent o, lt lll'i i ll i l ll El illALIiHlltt, Q1? HUNTINGTON, Nlilfil'lVIRGINIA.

EBilIKE.

Application filed April 12, 18538,

My invention relates eneinlly to brakes for motor vehicles, moreparticularly to brakes for the front or steering wheels ofautoi'uobiles, and itconsists in the contrbinations, constructions andarrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a brake mechanism whichaltords, Sill! pie, reliable, and readily operal'ile tiieilities forapplying a braking action on each of the front wheels of an automobilewhen desired, either when the trout wheels-ct the automobile arerairallel to the longitudinal axis of the automobile or turned at anyusual angle to the longitudinal axis of the auto mobile.

A turtl'ier object oi" lhe invei'itiou is the provision of a brakemechanism which is adapted to elicit a quich and positive application ofa braking action on each of the front wheels of an automobile which isequipped with the invention, even though considerable wear shall havetaken place hetween relatively movable lJl'llllt) members of the device"for either or both of the :lront wheels of the autoinol'iilc.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. in which I Figure l is a more or less diagrammatic andfragmentary plan view of a portion of the chassis of an automobile andsuch operalinp members of the zuitomobileas are associated with a brakemechanism embodying the inventimi. and with which the automobile isequipped,

Figure 2 tie a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially alongthe line 9-2 oi. Figure l,

Figure 3 is a l'rug'nieulary transverse vcrtical section through a frontWheel oi the automobile and through certain parts of the brakemecl'ianism shown in lligure 1, other parts of the automobile and oi thebrake mechanism being shown in elevation,

Figure I- is a vertical section substruitially along" the line -l---- lof Figure 3, showing in inactive positions certain elements of the brakeactiniting' mechanism shown in Figures l and 3,

Figure 5 is a lragnnentary sectional view similar to Figure l, showing:certain elements of the brake actuating mechanism in active positions,

l igiu'e 6 is a perspective group view of an Serial No. 101.489,

expansible brake ring, which is used in the device, and certain of theelements of the liralce ring expanding means shown in the precedingviews,

F ,gure 7 is a perspective view of a pair of brake ring spreading orexpanding levers of the actuating mechanism exhibited in the precedingviews,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fi ,ure 3, showing a slightly modifiedform 0 brake actuatirg mechanism,

I .l ig gure 9 is a section substantially on the line Ell- 9 of Figure8,

l igurc ill) is a perspective view of the brake ring spreading levers ofthe modified lorui of brake actuating mechanism, and

l uz'ure 11 is a perspective View of the Inodilicd form of brake ringspreading levers separated from one another.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings. the numeral 1 generallydesignates the frame ol an automobile and 2 is the front axle on whichthe front end portion of the frame is supported in any suitable knownmanner. The front axle 2 carries the usual pivoted spindles, as at 3, onwhich the front or steering wheels 4 are mounted. In carryin; out theinvention, the end portions of the front axle 2 are provided at theirextremities and adjacent to the inner sidesof the wheels 4 withupstanding supporting arms 5 which are located above the levels of theaxes of the i'uljaeent spindles 3 and which may be formed integrallywith the axle 2, as shown in Figures 3 and 8 or may be formed separatelyfrom the front axle and secured thcreto in any suitable known manner,The front axle 2 also is provided inwardly of the upstanding supportingarms 5 with other upstanding supporting arms (5 which also may he formedintegrally with the axle 2, as shown in Figures 3 and 8. By referring toFigure 1, it will be seen that the supporting arms (3 are located at theouter sides of the side members of the frame 1 of the auto mobile.

l A brake drum 7 is provided for each of the wheels 4. Each brake drumis secured firmly to the associated wheel 4 at the inner side of thelatter by suitable fastening deviccs such as the bolts and nutsgenerally indicated at 8, whereby each brake drum will be supported inconcentric relation with the associated wheel l. A resilient splitspring brake ring 9 is provided for each brake drum 7.

Each brake ring 9 has a lid covering of suitable fabric on its outerperiphery entending trom one end of the split brake ring to the oppositeend thereof and each brake ring is adapted to fit rather snugly in theassociated brake drum, which is open at its inner side, when the brakering is in its contracted position as shown in Fi area 4, 6 and 9.

ach vhrake ring 9 is normally held in its contracted condition by meansof a retractile spring 11, the ends of which are attached to inwardlyextending cars 12 on the inner faces of the end portions of the springring 9, the cars 12 being located at slight distances from theextremities of the end portions of p the spring ring 9.

Each spring ring 9 is provided on its 1nner face intermediate its endswith an inwardly extending socket member 13 which is open at its innerend and is adapted to tit over the depending lower end portion 1a of theusual vertically disposed spindle block pivot bolt 15 at the adjacentend of the axle 2. Each spring ring 9 is provided at its ends withinwardly extending C0111- plementary semi-cylindrical members 16 whichhave their edges in abutting relation to each other when the spring ringis contracted and then constitute a socket that is the socket 13. .The

diametrically opposite have end portions of each spring ring 9 notches17 in their meeting edges which define an opening when the spring run 1sm contracted position. The opening t at is formed by the notches 17 ispractically coextensive in area with the cross sectional area of thesocket that is formed of the members 16. Each ring 9 has spreader meansassociated therewith for expanding the ring against the inner peripheryof the means may comprise a pair of spreader levers 18 having theirmiddle portions dist 1' acent supporting arm ,jhein and outer side ofthe associated suportlng arm posed flatwise against each other andsupported in juxtaposed relation on'a pivot bolt 19 which has a threadedportlon screwed into a transverse screw threaded o ening 20 in the upperend portion of t e ad- 5, a lock. nut 21 disposed on the extending innerend portion of the bolt 19 to prevent accidental displacement of the,latter. The bolt 19 extends through aligned transverse openings 22 inthe middle portions of the levers 18 the levers 18 thus are supported atthe 5 and in the space within t e associated spring ring 9.

he upper end portions ,of the levers 18 are reduced as indicated at 23to fit within the socket 16 -16 when the associated sprq'irilllg ereduced upper end portions 23 of the levers 18 have the outer wallsthercoIt curved 9on cto conform "to.

ring 9 is in its contracted position.

venly transversely nherent;

Such spreader .brake ring.

the transverse curvature of the inner walls or the members 16. The upperends of the portions 23 of the levers 18 are rounded or convexl-y curvedas best seen in Figures d, 6 and 7.

The lower end portions of the levers 18 are enlarged in thickness asindicated at 24 and are provided with similar'angular notches in theirinner or confrontin walls, each of said notches subtending an o tuseangle and comprising a relatively short upper wall 25 and a longer lowerwall 26.

A rock shaft 27 is provided for each pair of levers 18, Each rock shaft27' is journaled in aligned openings in the supporting arms 5 and 6 onan end portion of the axle 2 so that the axis of the rock shaft- 27 islocated at the level of the lines of juncture of the walls 25 and 26 ofthe notches in the lower end portions 24 of the associated levers 18 andthe outer end portion of the rock shaft 27 extends between the lower endportions 24 of the associated levers 18. The outer end portion of therock shaft 27 carries a cam member 28 which com rises a relatively shortupwardly exten ing V- shaped cam projection 29 and a longer V- shapeddownwardly or oppositely extending cam projection 30. The upwardlyextending. cam projection 29 has convergent inclined side walls whichcontact with the walls 25 f the notches in the lower end portions of thelovers 18 when the lower end portions of the levers 18 reach the limitof their movements towardeach other. At this time, the convergentinclined side walls of the cam projection 30 are in contact fiatwisewith the walls 26 of the notches in the lower end portions of theassociated levers 18. It thus will be apparent that rocking of the shaft27 will spread the lower end portions of the associated levers 18 fromthe positions shown m Figure 4 to the positions shown in Figure 5 andthat the upper portions of the levers 18'likewise will be spread andwill cause the members 16 to be spread apart-equal distances from thevertical plane of the axis 9f the associated rock-shaft 27 thus expandmgthe-associated spring ring 9 against the inner wall of the associatedbrake drum uniformly at opposite sides of the ends of the This will betrue because the cam projection that is farthest from the fulcrum of thelevers 13 is of greater length than the cam projection that is at theside of the rock shaft next 'to'the fulcrum of the levers 18.

I The rock shafts 27 on the opposite end portions otthe axle 2 carryforwardly and downwardly inclined and similarly disposed rocker arms 31.Similar motion transmitting rods 32 are provided at opposite sides ofthe frame of the automobile and have inill! lltlt) lever 47.

forward a certain distance.

man le i in limits as desired. The rearward end portions of the rods 32are turned inward and are pivotally attached to the end portions offorwardly and downwardl inclined rocker arms 34 on axially alignetransverse rock shafts 35 and 36, respectively. The

adjacent ends of the rock shafts 35 and 36 terminate short of each otherand the rock shaft 36 is of less length than the rock shaft 35. The rockshaft'36 is journaled in a bearing in the side frame member of theautomobile that is nearest to the Operating mechanism of the automobilewhile the shaft 35 is 'journaled in a bearing in the other side memberof the automobile frame. The inner end portions of the shafts 35 and 36carry upwardly and rearwardly in clined rocker arms 37. The end portionsof the arms '37 are straddled by horizontally spaced forks 38 at .theforward ends of links 39 andare connected to the forks 38 by horizontalpivot elements 40. The rearward end portions of the links 39 are formedto produce vertically spaced forks 41 which straddle the end portions ofa tlat compensating bar '42 and are connected to'the so forward endportion of the rod 44 is turned laterally toproduce a horizontal pivotelement which is engaged with a horizontal opening in a rearwardlyextending car 46 on the middle portion of a brake 'operatin r The brakeoperating lever 4 normally is inclined forwardly and upward ly and isfulcruincd at its lower end on the shaft l8 on which the lower endportion of the usual clutch lever 49 is mounted. The

upper end portion of the lever 47 is curved to lie in the path ofpossible movement of the pedal at the upper endof the clutch lever 49and thelever 47 will be swung forwardly after the clutch lever 49 hasmoved This distance is snllicient to permit a full operating stroke ofthe clutch lever without actuation of the brake lever.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The retractile springs 11will hold the brake rings out of close Frictional engagement with thebrake drums normally when the levers 18 are in the positions shown inFig. 4-. The

front -or steering, wheels then may turn freely on the spindles 3. Theoperator of the car may swing, the clutch lever 4.) l'or ward by footpressure a distance sullieient to swing the clutch in gear withoutactuation of the brake lever 47. However, it it is desired to apply thebrakes to the front or steering wheels, the clutch lever is swungforward further and after contactmg'with the upper end of the brakelever 47, the

latter also is swung forward, thereby causingg motion to be transmittedto the rock shafts 27, which are rocked as required to cause the lowerend portions ol the levers 18 to swing apart to the positions shown inFigure 5 and the upper end portions of the lovers 18 to swing aparttothe positions also shown in Figure 5. This spreading of the upper endsof the lovers 18 will cause spreading of the members 16 andcircumferential expansion of the brake rings to the extent required tofrictionally engage with the brake drums, and to then exert a brakingaction on the front or steering wheels. The compensatine cross bar 42will swing about the parallel vertical pivots 43 and 45 as required toassure lirm application of the brakes f r both front wheels ol theautomobile even though the wear on the cover of the brake ring oi thebrake for one front wheel is greater than the wear on the cover of thebra la'e ring; for theother front wheel.

The modified l Ol'I Il of brake ring spreading mechanism exhibited inFigures 8 and S) dill'ers from the hcreinbetore deseriliied brake ringspreading mechanism only in the form and mounting of the brake ringspreading levers. The modified l'orm of brake ring spreading mechanismcomprises a pair of levers (it) which are shown per so in Figures 10 and12. The levers (it) have lower end portions 61 which are formed withaligned openings ()2 through which the outer end portion of theassociated pivot bolt 19 extends. The inner end portion of the pivotbolt 19 on which the lovers (it) are supported is tllreaded through anopening ()2 in the lower end portion of the adjacent support 5.

The upper end portions (53 of the levers (it) are reduced and formed toconform to the shape of the upper end portions 23 of the levers is.'l'hese upper end portions (33 of the levers til) lit between thennunbers ill at the ends ol the ussi'iciatcd spring ring; l). The middleportions of the levers (it) have obtuse-angled notches in their innerfaces. The lower wall of each of these notches is relatively short asindicated at (it while the upper wall of the notch is longer asindicated at (35.

The rock shaft 37 associated with each pair of levers (it) is jourunledin aligned openings in the'uppcr end portions of the supporting members5 and ti on an end porlion of the axle 2 so that the outer end portionof the rock shaft will extend into the space between the notches in theinner faces of the assoeintml levers (it) and the axis of the rock shaltwill be located at the level of the lines of juncture between the upperOil breke ri menem for contracting said brake riiig.

5. In a. mite meehnnism of the character described, the combination witha brake drum of a split resilient brake ring disposed Within said drumand held against turning about its axis within said drum. inwardlyextending members at the ends of said brake ring, at pair of brake ringspreading levers having e common fulcrum and having end portionsdisposed between said inwnrdlyex:

tending members on the brake ring ends} said le rers having similarcooperative notches in the adjacent faces thereof, each of said notchessubtendlng an obtuse angle GUS WALKER

